Procrastination

The past few weeks have been a little difficult. While I enjoy the Jewish Holidays that fall during this time of year, it is exhausting. Mainly, it is exhausting because you cannot get into any routine. My classes have been in full swing and I needed to take one session off, then I am in for the next two sessions, then I am out for the next session, then I’m back in for one class and finally, tomorrow I will be out for the last of the days I need to take off for the holidays.

Based on the requirements where I teach, I certainly have assignments for the students to do while I am not there. There must be a certain number of hours each semester dedicate to course material so I need to make sure I do not just give them the day off. Sometimes I feel like I am just giving them busy work (only because I am). Other times, I feel I am allowing students to make maximum use of their time but I doubt if they do. For instance, in one of my classes we are coming up to demonstration speeches while another one of my classes will soon be starting the informative speeches. One of the days I gave them out of class time to work on the speeches.

Personally I hope the students take advantage of this time and actually work on putting the speech together. A number of students wait until the last minute to put a speech together and it gets frustrating. They think, due to internet access, they can wait until the last minute to research and write the speech. As for practicing it, that is another matter entirely that they don’t even consider (despite warnings from the instructor).

Of course procrastination is nothing new. I am not suggesting it is starting with my classes. What bothers me the most (and I do not know if this is a new phenomena or not) is the way students have convinced themselves they do a better job if they wait until the last minute. I am glad I did not wait to the last minute when planning the course and considering what I would need to do to take off the Jewish Holidays.

Up next, stay tuned for some posts about demonstration speeches.